Local Area Designated Officer (LADO)

An opportunity has arisen to join our LADO team. We are currently looking for an experienced LADO or social work manager, who is able to provide high quality safeguarding advice and support in relation to the management of allegations process, involving adults in a position of trust who work with children. You would be part of a team who are committed to achieving good outcomes for children and providing a good service to partner agencies and other organisations to help safeguard children.

We provide a robust induction that enables new staff to become familiar with BCP systems, policies and procedures before the allocation of work commences. Staff development, wellbeing and work life balance is also a key focus for the management team, who provide a supportive, nurturing and learning environment. The successful candidate will be joining a team of one other LADO, an Early Years Safeguarding Quality Improvement Specialist and two Safeguarding in Education Advisors (ESA). The team was created in June 2024 and has already helped to strengthen safeguarding practice that spans LADO, ESA and Early Years work, resulting in improved information sharing and earlier identification of any safeguarding themes or issues. BCP Children’s Services was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in December 2024. The work of the LADO was commented upon, and inspectors found the LADO team as an effective one that safeguarded children and young people.

About the job

You will be required to chair allegations management meetings and provide advice, guidance and support to employers, voluntary agencies and other organisations where an allegation has been made against a person who works in a position of trust with children. You will provide quarterly and annual reports that give an overview of the performance of the LADO service, which highlight areas of strength and development to senior management and partner agencies. The role also includes facilitating training with partner agencies, voluntary and third sector organisations. Our current focus is working with schools and organisations who can be hard to reach and engage with. We are in the process of setting up a LADO campaign to increase the profile of the LADO in the wider community.

What are we looking for:

• A Qualified Social Worker who is registered with Social Work England.
• At least five years recent experience in children’s safeguarding and front-line work.
• An experienced practitioner who is confident in chairing meetings and has the ability to work independently.
• Child focused and keeps the child central in all work undertaken.
• Experience of undertaking training with other professionals.
• Good communication skills as well as the ability to collaborate with partner agencies and foster good working relationships.
• Substantive knowledge of relevant childcare legislation and Working Together to Safeguard Children as well as Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• Experienced in dealing with complex situations that span across social work practice, employment and HR processes and the role played by regulatory bodies relating to the children’s workforce.
• Ability to share learning and collaborate with practitioners and multi-agency partners to help achieve safe outcomes for children and the children’s workforce.
• Ability to analyse data and provide analytical reports that are child focused and of a high standard.
• Focused upon your own continuous professional development.

We can offer you:

• Thorough induction supported by manager and colleagues within the team.
• Continuous investment in your learning and development.
• Manageable workloads.
• Regular Supervision.
• 25 days annual leave (pro rata, for those without continuous service), plus bank holidays.
• Competitive salary with access to local government pension scheme.
• Flexible and agile working arrangements.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Relocation Scheme.
• Staff network groups.

If you would like to discuss this post and find out more about the team and work we do, please contact Nicky Campbell, Head of Service for Independent Reviewing Service, Child Protection, LADO and Safeguarding in Education and Early Years provision or Hayley Cowmeadow BCP LADO.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, world-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package. As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right.

DBS BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check.